We’re excited to share an upcoming opportunity pending a contract award and are connecting with qualified candidates in advance. Once we identify the right candidate, we anticipate extending a contingent offer, with employment dependent on final award confirmation and funding.
This position will work onsite at the client site in Bethesda, Maryland, five days per week. Remote or hybrid work is not an option for this opportunity.
At Altarum, we’re driven by a simple but powerful mission: improving the health of individuals with fewer financial resources and populations underserved by the healthcare system. We partner with federal and state agencies to design and deliver solutions that make a real, measurable difference.
In this role, you’ll join Palladian Partners, Altarum Enterprise’s full-service marketing and communications team, collaborating with colleagues across disciplines to deliver innovative, high-impact solutions for our clients.
About the Role
What You'll Do
- Develop and manage a strategic editorial calendar for print and long-form digital publications.
- Lead every feature story from pitch and research through interviews, writing, photo/video coordination, layout, and final publication.
- Generate editorial ideas and refine them with the lead PAO.
- Proactively identify story ideas that support strategic communication objectives, such as clinical advancements, groundbreaking research, patient success stories, and staff achievements.
- Conduct thorough, sensitive, and insightful interviews with medical staff, patients, families, and subject matter experts.
- Develop news pegs, angles, and balanced articles from multiple sources, including military and civilian staff, patients, and visitors, for news releases, feature stories, and special publications.
- Write, rewrite, and edit copy in AP Style, using active sentences, traditional leads, bridges, transitions, and news format.
- Work with photographers, videographers, and graphic designers to produce cohesive multimedia story packages.
- Craft messaging for internal and external stakeholders that stays consistent with organizational goals.
- Cultivate relationships with internal subject matter experts to keep story leads flowing, and with external media contacts to pitch and place stories when appropriate.
- Take media queries, coordinate and moderate press interviews, arrange media visits, and assist visitors and callers.
- Plan and run events such as press conferences, media briefings, and community engagement activities.
- Monitor media coverage and analyze how effective public affairs campaigns are.
- Compile external communication reports and submit products for review before they're posted to the website or intranet.
- Support leadership with crisis communication strategies and plans.
- Formulate strategies for major issues and coordinate message and theme development.
- Develop speeches and briefings that communicate key themes to a wide range of audiences.
- Meet daily and weekly deadlines and ad hoc requests in support of the mission.
Content strategy and project leadership
Storytelling and reporting
Messaging, media, and events
Strategic support
What You'll Bring
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Communications, Journalism, English, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in journalism or professional writing, supported by a portfolio that demonstrates exceptional skills in interviewing, storytelling, and long-form writing.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to build rapport with interviewees.
- An action-oriented, organized, proactive, and adaptable approach to project and editorial calendar management.
- Understanding of HIPAA and how it applies to safeguarding protected health information.
- Demonstrated attention to detail and commitment to customer service and accuracy.
- Military and/or health care communications experience.
Federal Clearance & Badge Requirement
Because this role supports Department of Defense/Department of War (DoD/DoW) clients, you must complete the required federal background investigation and credentialing process and be eligible to obtain and maintain the government-issued badge required for this position.
These requirements are in addition to Altarum/Palladian’s standard background screening process.
Where You'll Work
Work Eligibility & Requirements
- Candidates must be currently eligible to work in the United States; sponsorship is not available.
- All work must be performed within the continental U.S. for the duration of employment, unless required by contract.
- Ability to work core hours aligned with Eastern Time, unless otherwise approved by your manager.
- Remote employees must maintain a dedicated, ergonomically appropriate workspace free from distractions, with reliable internet and a mobile device that supports efficient work.
- Travel Requirements: <10%
Altarum is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the health of individuals with fewer financial resources and populations disenfranchised by the health care system. We work primarily on behalf of federal and state governments to design and implement solutions that achieve measurable results. We combine our expertise in public health and health care delivery with technology development and implementation, practice transformation, training and technical assistance, quality improvement, data analytics, and applied research and evaluation. Our innovative solutions and proven processes lead to better value and health for all.
Altarum is an equal opportunity employer that provides employment and opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Communications, Journalism, English, or a related field
- At least 5 years of journalism or professional writing experience
- Portfolio demonstrating exceptional interviewing, storytelling, and long-form writing skills
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to build rapport with interviewees
- Experience managing projects and editorial calendars in an organized, proactive, and adaptable manner
- Understanding of HIPAA and safeguarding protected health information
- Attention to detail and commitment to customer service and accuracy
- Military and/or healthcare communications experience
- Eligibility to complete and maintain the required federal background investigation, credentialing, and government-issued badge
- Current eligibility to work in the United States without visa sponsorship
- Ability to work onsite in Bethesda, Maryland, five days per week
What We Do
Altarum is a nonprofit research and consulting organization that creates and implements solutions to advance health among at-risk and disenfranchised populations. We're driven to solve tough problems for the greater good, and we do so by working closely with government insurance programs to conceive of and implement improvements to address the unique population health challenges of their beneficiaries. Our solutions are holistic, enabled by technology, and intently focused on prevention and appropriate care. From low-income children to frail elders, we help the most vulnerable in society, those whose health is negatively impacted by social determinants. Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Palladian Partners, expands on this work through health communications. Altarum has a dynamic and entrepreneurial culture, a purpose-driven mission, and a firm commitment to diversity and inclusion. We're also making an outsize impact in our work with some of the most influential institutions in health and health care. Our work environment is friendly and our benefits package generous. Ready to check out our opportunities?
